There are 18,309confirmed casesin Californiaand 492 deaths, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Approximately 177,600 tests had been conducted. At least 163,704results have been received and another 13,900 are pending as of April 8.

2,825 Californians have been hospitalized, and 1,132 are in the ICU.

A senior hotline has been set up to answer questions at 833-544-2374.

April 11

4:15 p.m.

The Navy gave an update on the numbers of COVID positive cases onboard the USS Teddy Roosevelt. For a full rundown on what was said in the update, click here.

3 p.m.

At Saturday's news conference the county updated their numbers. The county has 1,761 total positive cases and 45 deaths. The county has performed 24,430 tests on San Diegans.

11 a.m.

According to the County of San Diego, 23 hospitals in the region have administered 23,353 COVID-19 tests, around 93% of which have returned negative. For a full rundown on the numbers and how much PPE has been given out, click here.

April 10

5:00 p.m.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer gathered with local religious leaders Friday to urge San Diegans to celebrate Easter and Passover from home in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19.Read the full story here.

Kelvin Barrios, a candidate for the San Diego City Council District 9 seat, sent a letter today to Mayor Kevin Faulconer and other elected officials urging consideration of allocating funds for a vote-by-mail election because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read the story here.

3:10 p.m.

1,693 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in San Diego County. 23,353 people have been tested overall. 44 people have died, which is a four-person increase from Thursday’s numbers. You can read the full report here.

12:30 p.m.

Governor Gavin Newsom addressed Californians again on Friday. During his address, he talked at length about the new ways the USNS Mercy will be used. He also talked about how Steph Curry and his wife inspired a new FEMA program. For a full rundown on what was talked about, click here.

8 a.m.

Five Scripps Health hospital campuses in San Diego County are now equipped with a point-of-care test that can detect coronavirus in as little as five minutes. The diagnostic tool received emergency-use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration on March 27.

The San Diego Food Bank will hold its third emergency food distribution event in Chula Vista. They are giving out food on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 1,000 cars. For a full list of what attendees will be given, click here.

6 a.m.

Assemblyman Todd Gloria, D-San Diego, will host a telephone town hall Friday, April 10, at 11 a.m with San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Marten and Dr. Aliya Weise, an English teacher from San Diego High School, to provide more information on distance learning. For more information, click here.

5 a.m.

Officials on both sides of the border have encouraged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, especially during Easter weekend when the number of people crossing into the U.S. and Mexico usually spikes. Tijuana officials estimated they are about a week behind the San Diego region’s trajectory of coronavirus cases. You can read the full report here.

April 9

5:30 p.m.

If you've visited a grocery store during the coronavirus pandemic, you may have noticed changes when it comes to bags. News 8 heard from several viewers who say some stores have banned customers from bringing their own, but are still charging them to use theirs.

The policy isn’t consistent depending on where you go.

San Diego County health officials haven't outlawed reusable bags but did give stores the option to. And that's led to confusion.

Many San Diegans are out of work, struggling with something they have never faced before.

Thankfully, The San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council has opened multiple food distribution sites, helping more than 4,000 families get by for now.

The Labor Council is one grant recipient of the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund. A fund that News 8, The San Diego Foundation and other community partners have helped raise $8.3 million for.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and local leaders showcased Thursday how San Diego Public Library 3D printers are being used to make personal protection equipment (PPE) face shields for local hospitals to aid in their response to the novel coronavirus.

Mayor Faulconer said the idea to use the 3D printers started with a science teacher at Francis Parker School. Denver Guess saw the promise of using the printers to create PPE face shields. Guess spoke to hospitals, fellow educators and staff at the San Diego Public Library department about his idea.

Faulconer said the San Diego library system has 12 printers making about 50 face shields a day, or 300 per week. The face shields take about two hours to print and use materials that cost about $2.50.

Chairman Greg Cox, Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, Dr. Wilma Wooten, and Dr. Eric McDonald gave the public an update on COVID-19 in San Diego County on Thursday afternoon.

22,098 people have been tested in San Diego County. Of those, 1,628 people have tested positive, which is a 98-person increase from Wednesday. Those patients range in age from three months old to 100 years old. 40 people have died from the virus countywide. You can read the full story here.

1:30 p.m.

Scripps Health has launched a five-minute coronavirus test. It can detect a positive result in five minutes and a negative result in 13 minutes. You can read the full story here.

1:00 p.m.

The San Diego COVID-19 Response Fund has raised $8.3 million for San Diego organizations working on the frontline to support individuals, families, and communities impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. For a full list of companies receiving grants, click here.

12 p.m.

Governor Gavin Newsom provided his daily update on COVID-19 for California Thursday. Starting Friday, Newsom announced that California will provide frontline health care workers with hotel rooms at no-or low cost and free flights for California’s Health Corps. Newsom said vouchers will be provided to health care workers with 100% reimbursement so that they don’t have to worry about out-of-pocket costs during the coronavirus crisis.

"To date, 12 employees at the San Diego Health Care System have tested positive for COVID-19. In accordance with CDC guidelines and the employees’ clinical status, the individuals are currently in home isolation, mitigating further risk of transmission to other patients and staff. Due to privacy concerns, we cannot provide additional information." For more information, click here.

8 a.m.

USAA, the country’s fifth largest property-casualty insurer, will be returning $520 million to its members. "This payment is a result of data showing members are driving less due to stay-at-home and shelter-in-place guidance across the country. Every member with an auto insurance policy in effect as of March 31, 2020, will receive a 20% credit on two months of premiums in the coming weeks." For more information, click here.

7 a.m.

A Navy spokesperson released the following statement Thursday:

“A U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the U.S. Naval Hospital Guam April 9. The Sailor tested positive for COVID-19 on March 30 and at the time of hospitalization was in a 14-day isolation period on Naval Base Guam. More details will be released when they become available.” For more information, click here.

5 a.m.

A crew member aboard the USNS Mercy hospital ship tested positive for COVID-19, a television station reported tonight.

The "medical treatment facility crew member" is in isolation on the ship and will be transferred off to an isolation facility, according to Los Angeles media reports

April 8

7:30 p.m.

Several local children showed their appreciation for San Diego County’s Public Health Lab. Staff from the county’s Epidemiology and Immunization Services Branch received a care package filled with handmade cards, thanking them for their efforts during the COVID-19 incident.

People are taking many precautions amid the coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak including wearing face masks and rubber gloves. But a disturbing trend has emerged in parking lots of San Diego retail locations - once people are done using the rubber gloves, they're taking them off and just throwing them on the ground.

San Diego care professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic called Wednesday for regional leaders to establish emergency child care programs that would allow medical workers to continue treating COVID-19 patients, while ensuring their children are cared for.

The San Diego Emergency Child Care Task Force -- made up of members from the region's early childhood education and care community -- put forth a proposal last week calling for child care vouchers for essential medical workers and for local school districts to potentially re-open a limited number of care centers.

Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Faulconer, Supervisor Fletcher, and Chairman Cox discussed $25 million in funds that will aid organizations that help San Diegans struggling with addiction and/or mental health issues. You can read more here.

San Diego County elected and health officials announced the latest numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths Wednesday. There are now 1,530 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the county and there have been 36 deaths.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher reiterated that daily numbers should not be read into and trends over longer periods of time will provide more worthwhile information.

San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten provided a breakdown of COVID-19 deaths by race/ethnicity, a new metric introduced to the county figures this week.

Of the 36 deaths in the county, 10 have been Hispanic or Latino, 15 have been white, two were Asian and nine cases are unknown.

A Port of San Diego Harbor Police officer tested positive for COVID-19, port officials announced Wednesday. They said the officer has not been at work since March 20 and began feeling ill after that date.

The port's statement on the matter read in part:

"Upon notification of the positive test, the Port promptly investigated and determined the officer has not been in contact with any other Port employees or Port facilities since that time.

The officer is under a doctor’s care and has been directed to isolate at home and monitor for additional symptoms. Due to medical privacy laws, the officer’s identity will not be released. Port and Harbor Police staff have been notified."

The National Lacrosse League and its local team, the San Diego Seals, announced Wednesday the remainder of the regular season will be canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The league suspended regular season play on March 12 due to COVID-19. For more information, click here.

6 a.m.

California State Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) hosted a telephone town hall Wednesday on how COVID-19 impacts pets and how to keep pets safe and healthy during the pandemic. This comes amid recent news reports of animals testing positive for COVID-19.

Assemblymember Gloria was joined on the call by San Diego City Councilmember Chris Ward and representatives from the San Diego Humane Society.

According to Dr. Wilma Wooten, 1,454 people in San Diego County have tested positive, but a little less than 300 more people are under investigation. 19.9 % of those people that tested positive have been hospitalized.

Additionally, 31 people have died of COVID-19 in San Diego County, an increase of 12 compared to Monday.

"The increase in deaths should be no cause for alarm as the number of deaths typically lag behind the number of positive cases reported," said Wooten.

The county will start releasing data broken down by the patient's race starting on Wednesday. You can read more here.

2 p.m.

As hundreds of unsheltered San Diegans were moving into the San Diego Convention Center on Tuesday, the City Council approved a $3.7 million state emergency funding grant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the homeless population.

Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Assemblyman Todd Gloria and Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez collaborated with the council to secure the grant, which will add to approximately $1.6 million in state-backed emergency funds from San Diego County and $1.7 million from the Regional Task Force on the Homeless for the same purpose.

County supervisors Tuesday unanimously voted in favor of using $25 million to establish a fund to bolster behavioral health organizations -- a move proposed more than one year ago that one supervisor says is needed even more in the wake of the global health crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sponsored by Greg Cox and Nathan Fletcher, the Behavioral Health Impact Fund will allow "community-based organizations to serve more clients for longer periods of time."

Two San Diego men who have recovered from COVID-19 shared their story of recovery with News 8 Monique Griego. Click here.

7:30 p.m.

A two-hour special featuring performances by some of music's top names curated by Lady Gaga to help raise funds for the fight against the coronavirus outbreak will simultaneously air on ABC, CBS and NBC April 18, it was announced Monday. Gaga and advocacy organization Global Citizen have raised $35 million to fight the coronavirus and will launch the TV special to combat the growing virus, according to the Associated Press.

University of California Health announced Monday that it will send out daily online updates regarding the number of positive COVID-19 tests and age distribution of confirmed cases from its five medical centers across the state, including UC San Diego Health.

The online dashboard, which can be viewed on Twitter, will display daily testing information from UCSD Health, UC Davis Health, UCI Health, UCLA Health and UCSF Health. You can read more here.

6 p.m.

With so many government offices closed right now amid the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, there is understandably a lot of confusion about how to get things done. News 8 viewers say this is especially true when it comes to the California DMV. So we asked officials from the agency to answer some of your most common questions.

The U.S. Marines adjusted to comply with the latest coronavirus guidelines. Over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control recommended the use of masks when performing essential duties. While the Marines have made adjustments to encourage social distancing, it is not feasible in every situation.

Some Marines are working from home, but others are deemed essential to work at the base.

Representatives for the Marine Corps stressed they are working with local officials and want to be a good neighbor to the greater community.

Dozens of San Diego-area residents and some local businesses received citations over the weekend for violating government social- distancing requirements designed to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, authorities reported Monday.

"The warnings are over," Supervisor Greg Cox told reporters Sunday. "We're now down to serious business."

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System announced Monday that it will be reducing bus and trolley service effective next week in the wake of COVID-19 related ridership declines, though all existing, current routes will continue running under the new schedules.

The public transit service provider also announced a driver in its minibus division has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"The bus operator was not showing symptoms while driving and had limited contact with passengers. The operator began feeling ill Thursday night and did not report for work on Friday or Saturday," a statement on MTS's website read in part.

More than three dozen bus routes will be unaffected by the new schedules, which will be posted online at www.sdmts.com and at all MTS bus and trolley stations later this week.

San Diego County health and elected officials provided their daily update on coronavirus and sharing updated statistics on local cases along with resources for older adults in the county. San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcherencouraged locals to reach out to seniors in their life to check on them, offer support and connect them with services offered by the county.

Officials also announced there are now 1,404 cases of COVID-19 in San Diego and there have been 19 deaths with no additional deaths reported since Sunday.

In a recording published Monday by the military publication Task & Purpose, Modly defended his decision to fire Capt. Brett Crozier of the USS Theodore Roosevelt to the ship's crew, a decision which has garnered considerable controversy since Crozier's letter was published in the San Francisco Chronicle and other media outlets last week. Crozier was fired three days after the letter was published.

The captain and more than 100 sailors aboard the ship have tested positive for COVID-19.

Governor Gavin Newsom provided an update Monday at noon in the greater Sacramento area on the state’s emergency actions to stand up alternate care facilities and secure thousands of beds to prepare for a COVID-19 surge. You can read more here.

11:30 a.m.

"In light of this recent news, we at San Diego Zoo Global assure you that the health and safety of our employees, our community and the wildlife in our care remains our top priority. As you have come to expect, we have many strong biosecurity practices already in place to prevent the spread of disease between wildlife and wildlife care team members.

Although none of the animals in our care have been affected, San Diego Zoo Global veterinarians and wildlife care professionals are discussing increased biosecurity measures, just as we have for other infectious diseases such as virulent Newcastle disease and avian flu."

The USDA provided a statement Monday confirming the COVID-19 case in the Bronx Tiger and provided some Q & A, click here.

9 a.m.

In light of the recent news of one tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York being infected with the coronavirus, Lions, Tigers & Bears announced Monday that they have a stringent cleaning protocol. The organization said since the COVID-19 outbreak, and ensuing global pandemic, they have taken even greater measures to disinfect and sanitize all areas of their sanctuary, including animal habitats and common touch points.

"We have paused all visits to the sanctuary at this time (you can catch our LIVE virtual visits Wed-Sat at 10:30 AM PST on Facebook and 12 PM PST on Instagram), and our animal keepers are being required to shelter-in-place on-site.

8 a.m.

Recognizing that states like New York are experiencing immediate supply shortages as a result of COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom Monday announced that California would help meet this moment by loaning 500 state-owned ventilators to the Strategic National Stockpile inventory.

“California is stepping up to help our fellow Americans in New York and across the country who are being impacted the hardest right now by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Newsom. “We still have a long road ahead of us in the Golden State – and we’re aggressively preparing for a surge – but we can’t turn our back on Americans whose lives depend on having a ventilator now. We’re meeting this moment with compassion. I know that if the tables were turned and we were experiencing a hospital surge, other states would come to our aid and provide ventilators just as we are today.”

Plus Therapeutics, Inc. Monday announced that it is donating personal protective equipment to San Diego’s Scripps Health for distribution to its front-line doctors, nurses and other health-care practitioners caring for patients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company said that it has tapped its own medical supplies to deliver 250 surgical face masks directly to Scripps Health, which has an immediate and critical need for the protective gear for its health care professionals.

April 5

5:30 p.m.

The Better Business Bureau warned consumers about the dangers of counterfeit masks and false advertisements after local health officials urged San Diegans to cover their faces when out in public.

The trauma surrounding the coronavirus also known as COVID-19, continues to hit families in different ways every day. Ashley Kassis and her family are in a place nobody wants to be.

“At first it sounded like he had a bad cold, a deep cough, but he was worried,” she said about her father 78-year-old James Kassis, who recently tested positive for COVID-19.

With so many questions surrounding how to treat the virus, Ashley’s sister, Amber, took to social media a made a desperate plea on Instagram for a blood donor with type-O blood. The post quickly went viral.

In James’ case, the donor has to be someone who had COVID-19 and recovered. The antibodies are one way in which medical professionals are trying to treat the virus.

Ashley said the San Diego Blood Bank has seemed open to help, but they too are dealing with new protocols.

News 8 contacted them and they confirmed they are seeking donors who have recovered from the virus but only those who have had a positive test result - not people who think they may have had it.

There is a list of requirements for people who qualify to donate for COVID patients.

County of San Diego officials provided their daily update on COVID-19 in San Diego saying cases were up 117 from Saturday making for a total of 1,326 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the county.

San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten announced one additional death in the county saying the patient was a woman in her late 90s. The county has now suffered 19 deaths.

San Diego Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox said 211.org will have a page live starting Monday for the public to submit online complaints about businesses not abiding by the face covering orders given last week. Grocery stores and restaurants are among the types of businesses that have been ordered to implement mandatory face coverings for employees.

Cox said law enforcement will first work to educate these businesses but they will be cited if they become repeat offenders. He reiterated San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore's message from last week who said the time for voluntary compliance is over.

"We are down to serious business and we will enforce the law," said Cox. "Otherwise the price you pay will be high and, frankly, the price everyone in this county will pay will be much higher."

Chairman Cox also announced that the San Diego Sheriff's Department issued at least 25 citations over the weekend to individuals for violating the California order to prohibit public gatherings. These citations carry up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail.

The county's director of behavioral services Dr. Luke Bergman and San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher spoke about mental health during this stressful time.

Fletcher encouraged anyone struggling to call San Diego's 24/7 Access and Crisis Line at 888-724-7240 for help with managing mental health.

"We are all in the midst of a traumatizing experience," said Dr. Bergman.

He encouraged people to observe their own feelings and talk with others - family, friends or a therapist - about feelings of heightened anxiety or depression.

Dr. Bergman also encouraged parents to speak to their children directly about what is happening and what they are feeling.

Marines at Camp Pendleton have been ordered to follow California's "shelter in place" guidelines and face severe penalties if they don't, according to the military base's commanding general.

Brigadier General Daniel Conley on Saturday issued the instructions to Marine Corps Installations West, which includes Camp Pendleton.

"As of March 19, the state of California instituted a `shelter in place' order," Conley wrote. "The order directs all individuals to remain at home or place of residence, except as needed in limited circumstances."

The commander's order said all personnel will curtail their off-duty activities to abide by the California orders.

1:15 p.m.

The captain of a San Diego-based nuclear aircraft carrier has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report by the New York Times, after he was fired last week following his request for help in battling a coronavirus outbreak on the ship. Capt. Brett Crozier’s highly-publicized letter requested more resources and "decisive action" from Navy leadership as the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s crew battled the outbreak while docked in Guam. On Thursday, the US. Navy relieved him of his duty.

The NYT cites two Naval Academy classmates of Crozier’s “who are close to him and his family” as the sources who say he has the novel coronavirus.

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly and Adm. Michael M. Gilday said during a Pentagon news conference last week that the Navy "lost confidence" in Capt. Brett Crozier's leadership following his letter to Navy brass asking to immediately offload the majority of the ship's crew once COVID-19 cases began cropping up onboard.

A 250-bed federal field hospital is planned for Palomar Medical Center, San Diego County health officials announced Sunday.

The "hospital within a hospital" will be installed on the 10th and 11th floors of the Escondido facility as a fully functioning hospital and will add to the capacity of beds needed in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

"The facility will be used for those in our community who need it the most," Dr. Nick Yphantides, San Diego County's chief medical officer, said during the announcement outside Palomar Medical Center. "It will be a community-wide resource."

California States Parks have announced the temporary full closures of parks until further notice, including Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the following state beaches: Cardiff, Carlsbad, San Elijo, Silver Strand, South Carlsbad, and Torrey Pines.

The closures were made due to a surge in visitations that made it impossible for the public to implement safe, physical distancing.

There are still ways to visit the parks virtually. Many state parks are offering live feeds of webcams placed throughout parks on social media.

One example is the Poppy Cam from Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, found here.

Click here to watch "Facts Not Fear," a News 8 Special on coronavirus from March 26, 2020.

BACKGROUND:

According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.

The California Department of Public Health has issued guidanceon the use of cloth face coverings to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

The County of San Diego has made face coverings mandatory for those working with the public including grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and similar businesses.

While officials say these face coverings are not a substitute for practices like social distancing and handwashing, there is evidence to suggest that the use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Officials do not recommend the public use N-95 or surgical masks which are needed by health care workers and first responders.